re: THE COWSILLS:
>>>Any idea which radio station played the demo and who was the DJ??? It sure sounds like the station and DJ had a lot to do with MGM finally releasing “Hair” as a single, doesn’t it? (Jerry)
Found this on a Cowsills website:
Click here: The Cowsills In Concert Liner Notes
Remarkably, as 1969 rolled in, there was no plan for a Cowsills live album. They had cut a demo tape of "Hair" that they were to lip-synch on "Pizzaz," an NBC fashion special (sans the original third verse which mentions Jesus; something you apparently couldn't do on TV in 1969). Their label, MGM Records, didn't think the song fit the image of the Cowsills and had no interest in releasing it on vinyl. The Cowsills thought otherwise. "We thought it was so cool that we went on tour and brought the demo with us to carry around," Bob Cowsill now says. While doing a personal appearance at a Chicago radio station, the D.J. played the demo during their on-air interview, and the phone lines lit up. "We split Chicago and continued on tour and things started bubbling, so MGM was forced to put it out as a single," recalls Bob".
Jersey John
Hmmm ... I'm wondering now if this was WGN (???) I remember Roy Leonard used to do this sort of thing and then have the artist as an in-studio guest. (Or perhaps this is the same information that Jerry read in the first place, inspiring his original inquiry???) kk
One of our readers sent us in the "wind" version of "Hair" to share ... like I said before, I've heard this one played any number of times over the years. A quick check of Pat Downey's "Top 40 Music On Compact Disc" book shows that all of the commercially released and available versions of "Hair" appear to be the ALBUM version and not the hit single mix. (This is information current as of 2003 anyway ... but Tom Diehl found some further discussion of this topic on Downey's website ... read on ...) kk
If there is a stereo album version of Hair that matches the 45 I would sure love to hear it. The stereo mix I am very familiar with has the faint sounds of an original lead vocal take shining through underneath the released vocal (and has the wind sound effects).
A short discussion on this song can be found on Pat Downey's website here:
http://www.top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1626
Tom Diehl
re: THE CHIPMUNKS:
>>>The version of "Alvin's Harmonica" you recently featured is not from the original Liberty 45 ... you can tell from the harmonica intro ... I think it may be the LP version, however, which is the version released on just about all the cd's containing this song. (Jon Olsen)
>>>Any idea which radio station played the demo and who was the DJ??? It sure sounds like the station and DJ had a lot to do with MGM finally releasing “Hair” as a single, doesn’t it? (Jerry)
Found this on a Cowsills website:
Click here: The Cowsills In Concert Liner Notes
Remarkably, as 1969 rolled in, there was no plan for a Cowsills live album. They had cut a demo tape of "Hair" that they were to lip-synch on "Pizzaz," an NBC fashion special (sans the original third verse which mentions Jesus; something you apparently couldn't do on TV in 1969). Their label, MGM Records, didn't think the song fit the image of the Cowsills and had no interest in releasing it on vinyl. The Cowsills thought otherwise. "We thought it was so cool that we went on tour and brought the demo with us to carry around," Bob Cowsill now says. While doing a personal appearance at a Chicago radio station, the D.J. played the demo during their on-air interview, and the phone lines lit up. "We split Chicago and continued on tour and things started bubbling, so MGM was forced to put it out as a single," recalls Bob".
Jersey John
Hmmm ... I'm wondering now if this was WGN (???) I remember Roy Leonard used to do this sort of thing and then have the artist as an in-studio guest. (Or perhaps this is the same information that Jerry read in the first place, inspiring his original inquiry???) kk
One of our readers sent us in the "wind" version of "Hair" to share ... like I said before, I've heard this one played any number of times over the years. A quick check of Pat Downey's "Top 40 Music On Compact Disc" book shows that all of the commercially released and available versions of "Hair" appear to be the ALBUM version and not the hit single mix. (This is information current as of 2003 anyway ... but Tom Diehl found some further discussion of this topic on Downey's website ... read on ...) kk
If there is a stereo album version of Hair that matches the 45 I would sure love to hear it. The stereo mix I am very familiar with has the faint sounds of an original lead vocal take shining through underneath the released vocal (and has the wind sound effects).
A short discussion on this song can be found on Pat Downey's website here:
http://www.top40musiconcd.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1626
Tom Diehl
HELLO KENT, AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
FINALLY GOT AROUND TO READING YOUR YEAR END COMMENTS,
AND HAVE A FEW BITS TO SHARE ...
THE COWSILLS "SOME GOOD YEARS" WAS ON THEIR NOW OUT OF
PRINT "GLOBAL" CD, WHICH IS FANTASTIC AND A SHAME IT DIDN'T GET SOME SOLID
AIRPLAY. I REMEMBER MANY YEARS AGO WHILE I WAS IN LOS ANGELES, I GOT A CALL FROM
THE DRUMMER JOHN (NOW A BEACH BOY), WHO INVITED ME TO THE RECORDING STUDIO TO
HEAR SOME OF THESE NEW TRACKS THEY WERE RECORDING AND TAKE SOME PICTURES. I
RECALL SITTING IN THE CONTROL ROOM LISTENING TO THIS EXCITING TRACK AS THEY WERE
MIXING IT. IT WAS VERY LATE AT NIGHT, AND I VIVIDLY REMEMBER PAUL LEANING BACK
IN A CHAIR AND DOING A FLOATING PEACE SIGN WHEN THE VERSE "IF I HAD A SECOND
CHANCE" CAME UP ... AND EVERYTIME I HEAR THAT SONG, I ENVISION HIM DOING THAT.
STRANGE, BUT TRUE!
WISHING EVERYONE IN FORGOTTEN HITS LAND ALL THE BEST IN
2012!
MICHAEL G. BUSH
I remember hearing HAIR by the Cowsills on the radio in February 1969 on WKNR "Keener 13" out of Detroit. Just for the record.
Tal Hartsfeld
Kent,
Here in OKC one of the earliest, and I might add first, record for the Cowsills to chart on our weekly survey was a record they made in 1966 on Philips Records, MOST OF ALL with the
'B' side being SIAMESE CAT. Don't know of
course if it charted in your town.
Larry Nope, I don't know that one. However, Joel Whitburn's "Top Pop Singles" book shows that "Most Of All" DID, in fact, "bubble under" on The Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart for four weeks, ultimately peaking at #118. (kk) |
>>>The version of "Alvin's Harmonica" you recently featured is not from the original Liberty 45 ... you can tell from the harmonica intro ... I think it may be the LP version, however, which is the version released on just about all the cd's containing this song. (Jon Olsen)
>>>Wow! I didn't know they did "Single Mixes"
for The Chipmunks!!! (How cool is that?!?!?) The one I featured DID come from
a CD (Their Greatest Hits actually) ... so that's neat new information to know.
(kk)
Well, the way David Seville recorded things, I'm
surprised there aren't more alternate versions out there. I'm somewhat certain
that the stereo mix of The Chipmunk Song is slightly different than the actual
single version, as well ... however there was a stereo 45 of Alvin's Harmonica
and I believe that is where this version first originated.
Tom Diehl
Tom Diehl
Several years ago Tom sent us an EXTREMELY rare
copy of "The Chipmunk Song" 'specially recorded for a store chain called Harry's
... so they certainly DID make alternate recordings along the way! Here it is
again ... 'cause you ain't gonna find it anywhere else!!! (kk)
re: CHUBBY CHECKER:
Kent,
I thought of something in regards to what you had in Friday's Comments. (Kenny the K's Swap and Shop)
Two readers were looking for songs / records I guess for their own personal collection.I don't know if you yourself are looking for that one 'elusive' 45 you have hunted for for years. Personally I am not. But from what I know and understand in 1959 Chubby Checker had two songs out on Parkway Records called DANCING DINOSAUR and SAMSON AND DELILAH. Years ago a friend of mine back East sent me DANCING DINOSAUR on CD. Years ago I saw SAMSON AND DELILAH in an auction for some $75. The condition was Poor. I am curious (but not yellow) as to what SAMSON AND DELILAH sounds like. Any chance you could post that one on your website? How about a Chubby Checker two-fer? These two songs would be classified as forgotten forgotten 45's.
Larry
re: CHUBBY CHECKER:
Kent,
I thought of something in regards to what you had in Friday's Comments. (Kenny the K's Swap and Shop)
Two readers were looking for songs / records I guess for their own personal collection.I don't know if you yourself are looking for that one 'elusive' 45 you have hunted for for years. Personally I am not. But from what I know and understand in 1959 Chubby Checker had two songs out on Parkway Records called DANCING DINOSAUR and SAMSON AND DELILAH. Years ago a friend of mine back East sent me DANCING DINOSAUR on CD. Years ago I saw SAMSON AND DELILAH in an auction for some $75. The condition was Poor. I am curious (but not yellow) as to what SAMSON AND DELILAH sounds like. Any chance you could post that one on your website? How about a Chubby Checker two-fer? These two songs would be classified as forgotten forgotten 45's.
Larry
Forgotten or "Lost" 45's perhaps ... but
definitely not Forgotten Hits, as neither song ever charted. (Actually, we just
DID a Chubby Checker Two-Fer a couple of days ago, on the anniversary of the
date that "The Twist" went BACK to #1 on the charts, nearly a year and a half
AFTER hit had hit the #1 spot the first time ... the ONLY record in the Rock Era
to do so!)
I don't see either of these titles in my
collection ... but as part of our on-going "Helping Out Our Readers"
Finders Service, if someone on the list has copies of either (or both) of these
Chubby Checker rarities, please email them to: larryneal.waxmuseum@yahoo.com.
Thanks! (kk)
re: KENNY THE K's SWAP AND
SHOP:
>>>I'm
looking for a 1973 MOR song called Love For You by Sonoms.
Does
anyone have it?
(Mark The Shark)
>>>Hey folks, welcome to Kenny the K's Swap and Shop and
Long-Lost Tune Exchange!
If
somebody has a copy of this and is inclined to send it along to Mark, here is
his email information: shark18@nycap.rr.com
(Please do not send the tracks here ... we're providing this as a "
reader only" service!) Thanks! (kk)
Well, the tune is by Sonoma ... not a bad song ...
Sorry Kent, had to send it to you, too!
Tom Diehl
Well, the tune is by Sonoma ... not a bad song ...
Sorry Kent, had to send it to you, too!
Tom Diehl
Hi Kent!
I've been reading your blogs for
quite a while now ... and have occasionally contributed a few small
items.
I have been searching frantically
for an LP, which seems to be impossible to find.
In 1964, Sunny Gale recorded an
album for the now defunct Canadian American Label, #1015, titled "Goldies By The
Girls". Gemm doesn't have it ... and neither does E Bay. Maybe a reader can
find it for me. I want the record, not the music alone.
Thanks.
Arnold Kirkbride
Passing along your info, Arnold ... if somebody
out there is able to help (or has a copy available), please contact Arnold
Kirkbride through the email provided above ... do not respond to us. Thank
you. (kk)
re: BOBBY DARIN:
Kent ...
Could you consult your secret Bobby Darin files and answer this question.
re: BOBBY DARIN:
Kent ...
Could you consult your secret Bobby Darin files and answer this question.
A friend of mine told me he was watching TCM. Between
movies they were talking about Bobby Darin. After Bobby Darin & Sandra Dee
got divorced, they said that Sandra Dee never re-married. Bobby Darin did get
married again. I don't remember that. Can you tell me if it's true?
Thanks.
Frank B.
Frank B.
He was probably watching the same
Bobby Darin / Sandra Dee movie that we were watching the other night ("That
Funny Feeling", which was their third picture together.) The host did, in fact,
talk quite a bit about Bobby and Sandra before and after the movie.
(Unfortunately, I missed nearly all of this as I was getting the next edition of
Forgotten Hits ready!!!)
To answer your question, yes, 'tis
true.
Sandra Dee never remarried, often
stating that Bobby Darin was the love of her life. (They continued to see each
other long after they were divorced.) Shortly before he died, Bobby remarried a
woman by the name of Andrea Yeager, who he would later denounce once he became
hospitalized, thinking that she (and virtually everyone else close to him) was
out to get him. Yeager reluctantly agreed to marry Bobby in the first place ...
and she probably should have trusted her instincts ... just three and a half
months after they were wed, Bobby was already filing for divorce.
Watch for another edited excerpt from our special series (pulled from that top secret file you're referring to) tomorrow, covering "the marriage years" of Bobby Darin. (kk)
DIDJAKNOW?: I don't know if the host covered THIS little tidbit or not during the "That Funny Feeling" broadcast ... but it was originally Warren Beatty who was supposed to star opposite Sandra Dee in this film. At the last minute, he backed out ... and Sandy suggested that her husband Bobby take his place. (Truth is that even in 1965, she was looking at this opportunity as a way to help save their marriage!) You'll find this and more in our next Bobby Darin excerpt ... coming up tomorrow in Forgotten Hits ... so stay tuned!!! (kk)
Watch for another edited excerpt from our special series (pulled from that top secret file you're referring to) tomorrow, covering "the marriage years" of Bobby Darin. (kk)
DIDJAKNOW?: I don't know if the host covered THIS little tidbit or not during the "That Funny Feeling" broadcast ... but it was originally Warren Beatty who was supposed to star opposite Sandra Dee in this film. At the last minute, he backed out ... and Sandy suggested that her husband Bobby take his place. (Truth is that even in 1965, she was looking at this opportunity as a way to help save their marriage!) You'll find this and more in our next Bobby Darin excerpt ... coming up tomorrow in Forgotten Hits ... so stay tuned!!! (kk)
